An appliance for frying has a frying pot disposed within a housing for containing oil or fat and having a normally-closed valve disposed at a bottom thereof. An oil receiving tank is removably receivable within the housing below the frying pot, and has an oil receiving hole positionable below the draining valve such that when the valve is opened, the or fat may flow from the frying pot into the oil receiving tank. An actuation mechanism disposed entirely on the housing has a first condition wherein the activation mechanism allows removal of the oil receiving tank relative to the housing, a second condition wherein the activation mechanism prevents removal of the oil receiving tank relative to the housing while not opening the valve, and a third condition wherein the activation mechanism prevents removal of the oil receiving tank relative to the housing while opening the valve.

Various example systems and component systems for an automated food processing system are provided. In an example, a food processing apparatus comprises a basket retainer configured to support a basket of consumable items above a food processing device. The food processing apparatus may also include a reciprocating agitator configured to impart a repetitive contact to the basket, thereby inducing motion of the consumable items within the basket. In another example, guidance of a robot performing tasks such as moving a basket of consumable or food items may be enhanced using one or more mechanical guides configured to catch, engage, or otherwise contact a corresponding feature of a basket for the consumable/food items. In another example, one or more sensors may be provided to provide an indication that a robot gripper is within a proximity of a basket and/or handle thereof.

An outdoor food frying apparatus includes a frame having a pot support, a burner element supported upon the frame, and a pot that removably fits the frame. The pot has end walls, a rear wall, a front edge portion, and a bottom wall. A basket is pivotally attached to the pot rear wall with one or more hinges. The basket is correspondingly sized and shaped to fit the pot interior. The basket is movable about the hinge between cooking and food discharge positions. The lid is pivotally attached to the pot. The lid is movable between a cooking position wherein the lid covers the pot upper opening and food discharge position wherein the lid rotates at least 180 degrees from said cooking position, forming a tray for receiving food discharged from the basket. A steamer plate can optionally be connected to the basket at the basket rim and/or basket side walls.

A single shell taco fry mold device to enable a user to deep fry a single taco shell. The single shell taco fry mold device includes an open end, a connected end, an outside layer, an inside layer, and a handle. A handle rest of the handle includes a twist or angled bend, thereby allowing the user to rest the handle on an edge of a pan or deep fryer within which it is placed. The outside layer includes at least one support rung to adjoin the outside layer to the inside layer to act as a stopping barrier on the connected end that prevents the tortilla from sliding through or out of the single shell taco fry mold device. The handle grip is made from rubberized plastics to retain the single shell taco fry mold device in a secure and comfortable manner.

A fryer and method for cooking food products is provided that automates the movement of baskets carrying the food products. The fryer includes a cooking chamber with a heating element located therein for heating cooking medium in the cooking chamber. The fryer also includes at least one vertical transport assembly that selectively engages with and moves the basket vertically into and out of the cooking medium. A horizontal transport assembly selectively engages with and moves the basket horizontally between different positions. The horizontal transport assembly hands off the basket to and from the vertical transport assembly, and first and second hooks on the horizontal transport assembly engage with front and rear receiving mechanisms on the basket to continuously maintain at least two points of contact with the basket. This allows for controlled pivotal movements of the basket when food products are to be added or removed from the basket.

A frying unit, comprising an oil pan (1) which is essentially open on top, a transport unit (2), using which a basket (3) is movable from a filling position into the interior of the oil pan (1) and using which the basket (3) is movable from the interior of the oil pan (1) into an emptying position, wherein the oil pan (1) is designed in such a way that it can accommodate multiple baskets (3) simultaneously, and the transport unit (2) is designed in such a way that the baskets (3) are movable independently of one another.

A food frying and distribution device is used to pre-cook frozen food for storage and subsequent dispensing. The apparatus is configured to fry food to near completion, to store that food, and to then finish cooking upon consumer request, thereby reducing cooking time. The apparatus includes a housing, a frozen-foods inlet, a fried-foods outlet, at least one fryer basin, a first frying basket, a second frying basket, a first conveyor, a second conveyor, a vending mechanism, and a control unit. The housing is the protective shell that allows for arrangement of components. The frozen-foods inlet is an opening through which a user may insert frozen foods for preparation and storage within the apparatus. Conversely, the fried-foods outlet is an opening through which fried foods may be obtained by a consumer. The general configuration of the aforementioned components allows the apparatus to efficiently and effectively generate fried food relatively quickly.

A multiform basket for an air fryer and an air fryer having multiple use forms are disclosed. The multiform basket is formed by splicing left and right pots together, wherein at least one removable baffle is provided at the joint between the left and the right pots, such that one or two placement cavities are formed inside the basket; alternatively, one pot is provided with a positioning post, while the other is provided with a positioning hole matching the positioning post and further a receiving slot corresponding to the positioning post, wherein the positioning post is movable to be accommodated in the receiving slot when the left and the right pots are not spliced together. The air fryer is provided with a removable door panel assembly or a drawer-type pot assembly capable of completely closing the door frame.

An automated cooking system for adding time and labor efficiencies in food production environments such as restaurants. The automated cooking system includes at least a fryer, a dispensing freezer, a hot holding station, a plurality of baskets, and a gantry system. The gantry system includes a gantry control for a gantry, configured to engage and move each of the baskets. The basket and gantry include interface elements for enabling precise movements and rapid opening and closing of baskets at the system. Aspects of an automated cooking system and a corresponding method for discharging cooked food product help to avoid the problems associated with manually operating a cooking system. Specifically, the system described herein provides for apparatuses and methods to cook and dispense food product in a more efficient manner with regard to both time and labor considerations within food production environments.

An automated cooking system for adding time and labor efficiencies has a fryer including a plurality of fryer vats, heating elements, and a vertical transport assembly associated with each of the fryer vats. The vertical transport assembly is configured to support and move a basket of food product into and out of the cooking medium at the fryer vat, and optionally also with reciprocating shaking movements as well. The vertical transport assembly includes a lift base, a platform support hanger, and a basket support platform. The basket support platform includes a tray-shaped platform portion defined by a wire rack construction that circumferentially surrounds a bottom portion of the basket to retain the basket, the platform portion having an angled entry taper to correct any misalignments of the basket and the basket support platform as a gantry moves the basket onto the basket support platform.